Today we’d like to introduce you to Harald Austad
Hi Harald, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a Norwegian painter and platinum producer in LA. I moved to America 12 years ago to pursue my passion of art and music after being invited by Rihanna’s hit producers Stargate for a masterclass. I have 100+ tracks released as a songwriter and producer, but most people don’t know that it’s me who’s behind the songs. Here in LA I work closely with my wife, the artist Margie Plus. We make music and creative projects together and can be seen in colorful outfits at our weekly Friday parties at The West Hollywood Edition.
Currently, I am releasing my own musical project. I am going back to my roots with a song written in my native language. The lyrics are honest and the beats are melodic. The vibe is introspective and it’s about finding my way traveling through America for many years. The song is called ‘Finne Meg’ and releases October 25th on all streaming services, from Spotify to Apple. I’ve made the beat, recorded, produced, mixed and mastered, before releasing it on my own label so it is as independent as it can be.
My art can be seen at Corey Helford Gallery downtown and I share my artistic process on my instagram @harald.austad My philosophy in art is ‘minimal shapes, maximum color’. I call the style Supergraphic and try to merge art and design as I keep it going where Space Age left off. I take commissions on portraits and custom paintings to fit your interior. I’ve done official collaborations with brands like Care Bear and also have a selection of limited edition art prints available. For more info and availability, check out my website.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Making it as an artist anywhere in the world can be challenging, but even more so in Hollywood where the competition is fierce and abundant. I am fortunate to be able to live of my art & music now but it took many years to get to this point. Not having a regular job required double the work and various side hustles along the way to make the artistic dream a reality. As a Norwegian I also had to navigate the immigration system of artist visa, work permits and green card on top of being a creative. Now I am finally a dual citizen and hope to be an inspiration for other Scandinavian artists that the American Dream is still a possibility.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I paint & I make music. I express myself in many ways and dress like my art, loud and colorful.
My hand paintings are inspired by 70s, psychedelic & mid century era, with nods to modern classics like Kaws and Takashi Murakami. They are highly saturated and covered in my signature mix of resin & glitter that adds an extra dimension to the artworks. I’ve been painting a lot of portraits lately and had an exhibit at the gallery In Heroes We Trust where my portrait of Chanel West Coast was the centerpiece as a part of her new MTV series ‘The West Coast Hustle’ that follows our journey as creatives in LA.
My music is melodic and catchy with banging beats. Scandinavia has a long tradition of writing pop songs. Mixing my melodic sensibility with hiphop and american rythm makes for a unique blend that sets me a part from the other producers here. After moving to LA, I have also been making music for TV, film and advertising in addition to artists. I got the chance to mix my love of music and fashion to make the song for a Marc Jacobs campaign and also scored the launch of Coach X Selena Gomez collaboration.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My wife, the artist Margie Plus, is my number one supporter. She is my biggest cheerleader, motivator and muse! We have been supporting each other ever since we first met and fell in love while we were making her album together. When she sings, I produce. When she is a model, I often take the photos. Same goes the other way. Now that I’m releasing music, she is helping me produce the music video. It’s very rare to find someone that I love and also work together with and I am very grateful to have her by my side,
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.haraldaustad.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harald.austad/
